---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 274f–3"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "274f–3"
heading: "Studies relating to organ donation and the recovery, preservation, and transportation of organs"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/274f-3"
units:
  - "Chapter 6A — Public Health Service"
  - "Subchapter II — General Powers and Duties"
  - "Part H — Organ Transplants"
---

# §274f–3. Studies relating to organ donation and the recovery, preservation, and transportation of organs

- (a) **Development of supportive information—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c), acting through the [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) of the [Agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) for Healthcare Research and Quality, shall develop scientific evidence in support of efforts to increase [organ](/usc/42/274i–4.md?p=1) donation and improve the recovery, preservation, and transportation of [organs](/usc/42/274i–4.md?p=1).
- (b) **Activities—** In carrying out [subsection (a)](#a), the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) shall—
  - (1) conduct or support evaluation research to determine whether interventions, technologies, or other activities improve the effectiveness, efficiency, or quality of existing [organ](/usc/42/274i–4.md?p=1) donation practice;
  - (2) undertake or support periodic reviews of the scientific literature to assist efforts of professional societies to ensure that the clinical practice guidelines that they develop reflect the latest scientific findings;
  - (3) ensure that scientific evidence of the research and other activities undertaken under this section is readily accessible by the [organ](/usc/42/274i–4.md?p=1) procurement workforce; and
  - (4) work in coordination with the appropriate professional societies as well as the [Organ](/usc/42/274i–4.md?p=1) Procurement and Transplantation Network and other [organ](/usc/42/274i–4.md?p=1) procurement and transplantation organizations to develop evidence and promote the adoption of such proven [practices](/usc/42/17061.md?p=19).
- (c) **Research and dissemination—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c), acting through the [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) of the [Agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) for Healthcare Research and Quality, as appropriate, shall provide support for research and dissemination of findings, to—
  - (1) develop a uniform clinical vocabulary for [organ](/usc/42/274i–4.md?p=1) recovery;
  - (2) apply information technology and telecommunications to support the clinical operations of [organ procurement organizations](/usc/42/274i–4.md?p=2);
  - (3) enhance the skill levels of the [organ](/usc/42/274i–4.md?p=1) procurement workforce in undertaking quality improvement activities; and
  - (4) assess specific [organ](/usc/42/274i–4.md?p=1) recovery, preservation, and transportation technologies.
- (d) **Authorization of appropriations—** For the purpose of carrying out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2005, and such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2006 through 2009.

## Source credit

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title III, § 377C, as added Pub. L. 108–216, § 5, Apr. 5, 2004, 118 Stat. 587.)